setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and…
Priority LOW 28Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Complete · Complete · Complete
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a temporary file when modifying /etc/passwd, which may allow local users to gain privileges via a complex race condition that uses an open file descriptor in utility programs such as chfn and chsh.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00529 44th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 2 advisories
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 29
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:mandrakesoft:mandrake_single_network_firewall:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:hp:secure_os:1.0:*:linux:*:*:*:*:* | 1.0 | Vulnerable | Hewlett Packard Enterprise |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.0:*:ppc:*:*:*:*:* | 8.0 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.1 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.1:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* | 8.1 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 8.2 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
- cpe:2.3:a:mandrakesoft:mandrake_single_network_firewall:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:hp:secure_os:1.0:*:linux:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.0 Vulnerable ·Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.0:*:ppc:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.1 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.1:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.1 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.2 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
Show 19 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux_corporate_server:1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.0.1 | Vulnerable | Mandrakesoft |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 6.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* | 6.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.0:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.3 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
- cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux_corporate_server:1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.0.1 Vulnerable ·Mandrakesoft
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.0:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.1:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:6.2:*:sparc:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.0:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.1:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:alpha:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.2:*:ia64:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.3 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2002:137 Released 2002-07-29 · Red Hat rating Moderateutil-linux security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1
- RHSA-2002:132 Released 2002-07-29 · Red Hat rating Moderate: : : Updated util-linux package fixes password locking race
- Red Hat Linux 6.2
- Red Hat Linux 7.0
- Red Hat Linux 7.1
- Red Hat Linux 7.2
- Red Hat Linux 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:137 |
| Red Hat Linux 6.2 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:132 |
| Red Hat Linux 7.0 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:132 |
| Red Hat Linux 7.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:132 |
| Red Hat Linux 7.2 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:132 |
| Red Hat Linux 7.3 | Fixed | RHSA-2002:132 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2002-0638
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gmmv-6j82-fwgw
References
Patch 2
Advisory 3
Sources
- CVE-2002-0638 · CVE Program
- CVE-2002-0638 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-gmmv-6j82-fwgw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2002-0638 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences